Mistletoe Kisses
by xPhoenixWingsx
Summary: Christmas is a time for miracles...And mistletoe. Oneshot. Lotsa ZxD fluff. Thank you to CrimsonCobwebs for the idea. Merry Christmas fanfictioneers !


Disclaimer: (Zidane steps out)

**Zidane :** **Sora owns nothing but this plot. Actually she doesn't own much of that either XD Square-Enix owns all characters, and Christmas was created by the Christian majority...But we like it to. (Don't hate, this is just my opinion) Sadly, to us, God is almost as non-existant as Kuja's thong.**

**Kuja: HEY!!**

**Sora: Hey guys, have you finished introducing my...(spots Zidane and Kuja bitchslapping each other)...fic...??**

**Zidane : Get your hands off my tail you overpaid prostitute!!**

**Kuja: (bites Zidane's tail) He's all yours Sora. XD**

**Sora: YAY! Rape time! **

**Zidane: NOOO!!**

**Sora: Dagger, have you seen my Yaoi paddle!?**

**Blank: Damn, he's gonna be walking funny for a while...**

Mistletoe Kisses 

"Zidane...I-I'm warning you...Don't you dare even think about-" Her words were pointless. His arms raised and came back down, and with them a flurry of white ammunition.

Dagger adored winter, bringing with it the Christmas season. She loved how changed the world was when it became like a cake dusted over with sugar. She adored how, even when the snow was cleared to show the gravel underneath, crystal remnants still clung and made it glitter.

It was no secret that Alexandria's queen adored everything about the chill of winter...but when sharing it for the first time with a certain thief with a monkey's tail, Dagger found something to dislike.

Snowball fights.

Now, Dagger wouldn't mind contributing to a game or two, all in good fun, but _his _mischievous antics were enough to make her scream.

Whilst she was considering this, another wave of cold, wet ammunition hit hard against her already chilly body.

"Hell yeah!" He punched the air in triumph. "The Snowball King strikes again. No one can defeat me!"

"Wanna bet!?"

Blank proceeded to engage 'the king' in combat, giving a grateful Dagger a break and a chance to survey her city.

She admired the beauty around her. The city had taken everything that winter had to offer. The snow was almost knee-deep. Fragile, glassy icicles clung to the brittle fingers of the trees. Even part of the waters at the dock had frozen over, much to Eiko's excitement when she had discovered ice-skating. Vivi had not taken to it quite as well as the summoner had, but the poor mage cheered up after a lesson from Zidane. He didn't trip as much now.

Even Amarant was enjoying the chill, though he hid it well.

Dagger leaned back and sighed in contentment.

_Nothing could be more beautiful than thi-_

"Hey Dagger!"

Her train of thought was broken in an instant. Dagger turned very cautiously, anticipating another attack from Zidane, but to her relief she saw that the idea had clearly not crossed his mind. She watched as he slid across the ice to stand beside her, perfectly balanced like he had been trained.

Dagger doubted this, but admired his agile form.

_It must be that tail of his._

As he stopped beside her, her eyes fell on that very thing. It annoyed her that it intrigued her so, but she felt her curiosity so piqued, and found herself longing to, just once, know what it felt like.

"You can stop staring you know,"

_How long have I been...?_

"I'm sorry," She could feel heat rising to her cheeks, and demanded that it stopped.

"That's ok. I'm used to it. People stare a lot." He smiled down at her, genuine but quick, and Dagger had to press her hand across her stomach, as a flighty, alien feeling rushed through her.

A painfully tense silence followed.

"Great view, huh?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's beautiful."

He mumbled something under his breath, something she couldn't quite catch.

_It sounded like...'just like...' something..._

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She blinked up at him.

_...D-Did he just...blush!?_

"Nothing. Hey wanna see something cool?"

"...Ok."

_If he's planning something involving snowballs, I'm gonna kill him._

He held out his hand and brought her to her feet.

"It's just something I thought you might like."

Dagger's eyebrows raised in suspicion.

"N-No snowballs, I promise," he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Dagger followed him, with the occasional slip holding her back. When she finally stumbled to her feet, she saw Zidane stood on the ice at the foot of the docks. When she had managed to slide confidently towards him, she lost her footing once more and fell. Before she could hit the ground, she felt her face fall against somethings warm, her arms clinging to...

She opened her eyes. Her arms were wrapped around Zidane's shoulders, and her face was buried against his chest. He pulled her to her uncertain feet.

"You ok?"

She didn't answer. Embarrassment silenced her. Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably.

"I'll just let go-"

"No!"

Neither could believe the words that left her lips. They stood still for uncounted moments, before they came crashing back to reality.

She silently wished they hadn't, and so did he.

"So...er...what was it you wanted to show me?" Dagger straightened herself and pushed away from Zidane's warmth. He gave a somewhat disappointed sigh.

"Just...look around."

For the first time since stepping onto the ice, Dagger took in the view around her, and her mouth opened in awe. She saw the moving sea at the edge of the ice in the distance, and the sun glinting on the lapping waves. Unusual, yet beautiful colour painted the skies.

"It's...so..." She couldn't even think of the words to use.

"I thought you'd like it." He looked at her, deep longing in his eyes.

Holding eye contact, Dagger felt that flighty feeling again. What was it?

It wasn't a bad feeling exactly. Just very fleeting, and alien to her. Warmth erupted in her stomach, and shivers fluttered, like delicate wings across her skin. It was just hard for her to decide whether or not she was enjoying it.

A cry of surprise broke their connection. They turned their heads to find Vivi lying flat on the ice.

_Poor Vivi._

"Zidane!" The mage rose to his feet and shook off the snow on his hat. "I think I might need another lesson."

Zidane chuckled and waved in response. "Well, it's..er...getting kinda late. Dinner should be ready soon."

"Yeah...I think I'm just gonna stay here just a little longer."

"Ok,"

Zidane made his way to the docks, helping to push Vivi and Eiko back onto dry land. When they were safely back up, Zidane looked back at Dagger.

"Are you coming!?"

She took one last peaceful gaze at the skies, and turned to head back for Christmas Dinner.

But at each small step, Dagger felt more and more uneasy. She thought it was the fear of slipping, but when she concentrated she could hear an unusual noise, brittle and sharp.

A cracking sound.

Yes. At each step she took, she noticed small cracks appearing at her feet. She gasped as the cracks grew out, stretching further from her. Her head shot up, catching Zidane's eye, and realisation dawned on him.

"Dagger!"

The gang turned at his cry to see him rushing to reach Dagger, who stood frozen, unable to move.

"Zidane...!"

_It's..it's going to-_

One loud crack sounded, she screamed, and the ice beneath her boots broke apart like glass, plunging her into the dark, icy waters beneath.

She had never felt such pain. It felt like a thousand knives diving into her body. She felt her limbs numb as she fought to push herself back to the surface. But it was too much for her to bear. Her eyes were closing, her heart rate was slowing...giving up...

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Warm lips pressed against frozen, blue lips.

Heating breath flooded a freezing body.

Desperate hands pressed hard against a dying chest.

"Co...e on, breath Da...er!"

"Please...hav...to br...th!"

"Don't...ive...up!"

"BREATH!!"

Brown eyes flickered open, water rushed up her throat and she coughed. Her vision was distorted, but she could just make out beautiful blue, tearful eyes staring back,

"Z-Z-Zi-d-dane?"

He gasped and clasped her to him, gentle tears dropping onto her cheeks, icy but soothing.

"Thank the gods." Familiar voices sounded. "We've got to get her to the castle."

The next minutes were a blur. Distorted voices surrounded her, and at last she felt herself lay down against her chair by the fire in her bedroom. The only sound that broke through to her...was his.

"We've gotta warm her up."

"Get the Doc"

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"Dagger?"

"Hmm?"

He pulled her into his arms.

Her body was still numb from the cold, but she could just about feel his hands under the fluffy dressing gown she was now wearing, brushing lightly against her shivering skin.

"W-w-what are y-you-?"

"I'm using my body heat to warm you. The doc said if the blood rushes back to your heart too fast...you're heart might..." He couldn't finish, yet she understood. He was just trying to help.

She closed her eyes indulgently as warmth gradually rose through her body.

"I w-w-was s-so s-s-scared. I-I t-thought I was g-g-gonna...d-die" She stuttered, shivers pulsing through her.

"For a moment there...you did. _I _was scared...scared that I'd lost you."

_I died?_

"I died?"

"Yeah..." He choked.

_Is he crying?_

"Well...d-do you wanna know w-w-what h-heaven looks like?"

"Heaven?"

She gave out short, broken laughter.

"So...You got your room decorated for Christmas huh?"

"I a-always do. Your f-friends helped."

"Tantalus?"

She nodded.

"They helped decorate _your_ room? Or...did you do this all yourself?" He asked, looking at the ceiling.

"I did this m-myself. Why?"

"So...you put up the mistletoe?"

Dagger opened her eyes with a look of confusion. "What mistletoe?"

She pulled her head from his shoulder to look at him, suddenly realising that their noses were millimetres apart. Zidane was still holding her, still looking at the ceiling, not noticing that her face was going as red as a beetroot. She followed his gaze and spotted a small object hanging directly above them.

"That...mistletoe." His voice was a whisper, barely audible. His eyes met hers, and they both became more aware of the painful distance between them.

_Oh gods, he's so close. My hearts is suddenly racing. There's that feeling again in the pit of my stomach, butterflies, silence, all this tension..._

Her eyes widened as he leant ever slightly closer. His blue eyes flickered shut and in an instant, the gap between them closed, as he captured her lips so slightly.

There was barely a touch left behind as his warm lips took hers inward again and again, and the slight sensation of his tongue flicking slowly against her lips sent a tingle down her spine. She suddenly felt frozen to the spot, unable to pull away. Did she even want to pull away? Did she really want this end?

After moments of subtle, gentle kisses, Zidane's lips pressed harder, his arms wrapped tighter around her, and his tongue ran along her lips, teasing them to part, undoubtedly dying to be welcomed into her mouth.

His hands began to roam leaving trails of fire to burn across her bare skin, still holding her beneath her dressing gown. The feelings that he sent flaring beneath her skin were too much for her to bear, leaving her head spinning, and casting out any rational thoughts. She felt her mind dissipating leaving all traces of reality behind, leaving only him and her behind. She forgot the cold that had left her body frozen just minutes before, focusing only on the lust and warmth pulsating through her.

For the first time since their lips met, Dagger moved slightly, gaining confidence from an unknown source. Her eyes closed, her arms tightened around his neck, and she willingly moved into the kiss.

She parted her lips and gasped at the alien presence that, without hesitation, began to caress her mouth. But she did not object, still unable to decide whether she was enjoying this or not. It was after all her first kiss. But she had never dreamed that it would be shared with one such as Zidane. A thief, a commoner even, and under the mistletoe. Such a thing was meant to be shared with a knight on a white horse, but this illusion left her head the moment their lips touched.

It was not the kiss she had always dreamt of, but she would not break it. It was too overwhelming, the lust and butterflies that jolted in her stomach were too powerful for her to fight, too pleasurable, and so long overdue-

A small moan escaped her and his lips pressed harder, as if driven by that small sound.

His hands met her shoulders, and she felt the fur on her gown slip slowly down them. He leaned further into her, her back descending, and her clothes screaming to be ripped from her, to feel his bare skin melt with hers and-

KNOCK KNOCK

The tap at the door was enough to force the two to break apart in disappointment. Zidane pushed back so quickly that he hit the floor, whilst Dagger sat upright and pulled her gown back over her shoulders and pulled each side across her chest.

The door burst open, and at the noise of the clanking armour that met their ears, they knew exactly who had interrupted them.

"Princess-I mean...Your Majesty. Are you alright? I-" Steiner's eyes spotted the thief who was currently on his feet, rubbing the small of his back where he'd hit the floor.

"What are you-"

"Nothing, I'm not doing anything. Nothing happened. I did nothing. We did nothing. Just making sure she's keeping warm. I..." She muttered rapidly causing Steiner to shake his head in confusion. "...I'm gonna go now."

On his way out the door, Dagger glanced up to see a mischievous grin and a wink of his eye, and a whisper: "Merry Christmas"

That alien, flighty feeling returned.

The butterflies.

Her racing heart.

The lingering burn from his fingertips on her bare skin.

The lingering taste of his lips and tongue as he teased and licked and-

_...Damn you Steiner!_

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A/N: Thank you for reading Mistletoe Kisses. This one-shot would have never have been put down if not for the help of CrimsonCobwebs. Her ideas sparked this fic.

**Sora: Thanks Crimson!! ::hugs:: Read and review ^_^**


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